Special Spatial Plans VS Local Spatial Plans. Towards a new vision of planning system at the local level in Greece, during the period of economic crisis

Abstract

Spatial planning in Greece is organized in three levels, following a strict, top-down hierarchical framework where the two first levels (national-regional) have a purely strategic role and the third one, the municipal, has a regulatory character and the obligation to comply with the upper ones. However, the municipal level is unable to function, as shown by the very low rate of implementation of the Local Spatial Plans (LSPs) to date. In this prospect, the economic crisis in Greece since 2010, has led to the need for a spatial reform whose main aim is to promote economic growth. Thus, a key innovation is the introduction of a new category of plans, the Special Spatial Plans (SSPs) which are at the same hierarchical spatial level as the LSPs, the third one, but on a smaller scale than them and focus on strategic investments.This paper, mainly explores the effort to integrate spatial planning at all levels with the implementation of LSPs. It also states the ability of the more flexible, bottom-up planning approach with the SSPs. In that prospect, it is approved “ad hoc” that the new legislation is not complied with the fundamental principle of "subsidiarity," stating that decisions should be taken at the local level (local governance). Finally, the paper aims to draw reasonable conclusions as to whether the spatial reform will improve the efficiency of spatial planning or simply be just a reaction to the economic crisis that could put the valuable principles of planning at stake